Method of making calendar mounts



Sept. 18, 1951 E, NlCHOLs 2,568,458

METHOD OF MAKING CALENDAR MOUNTS Filed Dec. 12, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l Maia)" brazpmizz wb Z MW w p 13, 1951 v e. E. NICHOLS 2,568,458

METHOD OF MAKING CALENDAR MOUNTS Filed Dec. 12, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fray/w) i J ard'orzlA/Z'aals Patented Sept. 18, .1951

METHOD OF I MAKiN G CALENDAR MOUNTS Gordon E. Nichols, Middleboro, Mass., assignor to Winthrop-Atkins 00.,

Ihc., Middleboro,

Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 12, 1947, Serial No. 791,241

19 Claims.

This invention relates to easel type mounts and more particularly to blanks foruse in the manufacture of easel-type mounts for calendar pads and/or photographs and to a method of making thesame.

The conventional calendar or photographic mount includes as a basic part thereof abackboard and an easel joined together in hinged relation so that the backboard may be set up in an inclined position. Interlocking elements on the easel and backboard customarily are provided for holding the easel and backboard at an angle to each other and retaining means in the form of a Spacer and a faceboard are attached to the backboard to support the photograph or calendar pad. Suitable facing or covering material may be applied to the entire faceboard and the edges of the assembled parts to enhance its decorative appearance. According to one type of construction the easel and backboard are constituted by a single sheet'of material scored at a given point and folded along the score line; however, the hinge between the parts in this constructionlacks the desired flexibility. In another type the easel and backboard may be separate pieces attached to each other by means of staples or rivets. In the construction of the aforesaid mounts and other prior mounts the component parts have beencut from sheet material, assembled an secured together by hand, which is slow, tedious and not at all adapted to large scale manufacture.

The principal objects of this invention are tov provide an improved method of assembling the component parts, that is the backboard and easel faced with the covering material to afford startn ing blanks from which one or more finish: blanks may be cut in a single operation, to provide a novel starting blank for use in producing the aforesaid finish blanks and to provide a novel finish blank which may be manufactured rapidly and economically for assembly with the other parts of the mount, that is, the spacer and faceboard.

Accordingly, and as illustrated herein, the method includes facing at least one side of a relatively stiff sheet of flexible material such as cardboard, the latter having a slot therein, with the facing material completely covering thelsheet and the slot, and then cutting through the come posite sheet or starting blank along lines to separate a finish blank of the desired shape from the starting blank in such a manner that the slot will run parallel to one edge of the finish blank and'will intersect another of its edges. .As thus formed the separated finish blank is divided into two sections joined solely by the facing material which is thin as compared to the cardboard and hence affords a flexible hinged joint between the sections. As illustrated one section will constitute the backboard in the completed mount wherein there is an intermediate board and faceboard applied thereto for holding a photograph or calendar pad and the other will constitute theeasel or supporting member for supporting the mount in an inclined position. Preferably the'sheet material is faced on both surfaces and a plurality of slots are formed therein so that a plurality of finish blanks may be cut out of the startingblank at one time. It is customary to have a door or flap in the backboard to permit insertion of the photograph or calendar pad between it and the faceboard, hence other slots are formed in the sheet material and covered by the facing material, these slots being so located that they are situated within the boundaries of one of the sections of the finish blank, that is, the section which will constitute the backboard. An incision is made through the-backboard portion of the starting blank which intersects the ends of the second slot thus releasing a flapor door from the backboard which is joined thereto along one side solely by the facing material.

In another aspect, the invention resides in a starting blank comprised of a middle layer of relatively stiff sheet material having a prearranged slot therein and facing sheets adhesively joined thereto covering the slot from which a finish blank having hinged portions may be formed by cutting through the starting blank along spaced lines intersecting the slot and other spaced lines One or more entire finish blank. There may also be a-second slot located in one of the hinged portions and an. incision through the starting blank intersectingthe opposite ends of this second slot, thereby re.-

. leasing a section along three sides from the. portion which constitutes a door in the portion hinged thereto solely by the facing material.

to be cut therefrom and, as illustrated, one of the second slots will be associated with each of the first slots and will be situated near one end thereof and within an area less than one-half of' the distance between a given pair of the parallel slots at one side of the first slot.

One orv more of the second slots will be formed in thesheet depending upon the number of finish blanks in still another aspect the invention resides in a finish blank comprising a pair of substantially rectangular sections hingedly joined edge to edge in spaced relation solely by facing sheets adhesively secured to the opposite surfaces of the sections. One section constitutes the easel and the other the backboard and in the backboard there is a door constituted by an incision extending through the compesite material and intersecting a slot in the sheet at two points. The backboard is also provided with incisions therein forming a brace free along three sides but joined thereto along the fourth side and the easel is provided with an aperture with which the aforesaid brace cooperates to hold the easel and backboard in a given position with respect to each ether. I

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying draw= ings in which:

Fig. l' is a perspective View of a picture or calendar ii'iount of the type with which the present invention is oneerned; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a sheet of relatively stiff cardboard having slots arranged therein in positions to permit formation of a plurality of finish blanks;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sheet shown in Fig. 2 faced on its opposite surfaces with a facing material to form a starting blank and wherein the facing material on the upper surface is rolled back to show the underlying slots near one end;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the starting sheet with incisions therein arranged to form a plurality of finish blanks;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a finish blank; and

Fig. 6 is a detail partly in section showing the hinge connection between the backboard and easel of a finish blank.

Referring to the figures, there is shown in Fig. l a calendar mount I0, although it is to be understood that it could be a photograph mount by changing its proportions, comprising a calendar pad or photograph-retaining member l2 and an easel [4 which is connected thereto, as will appear hereinafter, to hold the member i2 in an upright, slightly inclined position, as is conventional with this type of mount. The member l2,-Fig.' 6, includes a faceboard l6, an intermediate board IB and a backboard 2B. The faceboard, Fig. 1, has an aperture 2'2 therein through which may be seen the calendar pad or photograph which is inserted behind the faceboard against the backboard in the space afforded by a separator which is interposed between the faceboard and backboard to hold the same apart and is in the form of a hollow rectangle. The backboard, separator and faceboard are connected together by a facing or wrapping material 24 which covers the entire face of the faceboard and. extends around the top, side and bottom edges of the assembled parts to provide a finished appearance. As illustrated herein, Fig. 6, and in accordance with the invention as will appear below, before application of the separator and faceboard to the backboard the backboard and easel are hingedly joined along their upper edges solely by facing materials 26 and 28 which are adhesively secured to their entire opposite surfaces thereby to form a flexible hinge 30 between the same constituted solely by the thin flexible facing material. A substantial space is left between the edges of the backboard and easel in forming the hinged connection and the 4 easel and backboard portions are provided with interengaging means for holding them angularly distended. The specific means employed herein comprises, as shown in Fig. 5, a brace 32 separated from the backboard along three sides by substantially parallel cut lines 34 and an intersecting out line 36, the fourth side being left connected to the backboard. This connected side may be scored if desired to facilitate bending thereof. A T-sliaped slot 38 is formed in the body of the brace. An aperture 40 is formed in the easel portion having projecting inwardly from one edge thereof a tab 42 which is adapted to occupy the enlarged portion 44 of the T- shaped slotin the brace and by interengagement therewith to hold the easel and backboard locked in their setup position.

In order to facilitate inserting a calendar pad or a photograph between the backboard and the faceboard there is provided in the backboard a door or flap 46 which is hinged at 48 and is free from the backboard along spaced parallel lines 50 and an intersecting line 52, the hinge being formed, as will appear, in the same manner as the hinge 30 between the backboard and easel.

In accordance with the present invention the method of making a finish blank consisting of a backboard and easel as described above involves first making a composite starting blank SB, Fig. 3, and then cutting from the starting blank in a single operation finish blanks FB, Fig. 4. The starting blank is comprised of a sheet of flexible but relatively stiff cardboard'or other suitable board 54, Fig. 2, commonly employed for making mounts of this kind having formed therein at predetermined points slots 56 which extend transversely of the sheet and slots 58 which extend longitudinally thereof. As illustrated in Fig. 2 the sheet is wide enough to contain two slots 56 end to end but spaced from each other widthwise'of the sheet and long enough to con-. tain two spaced parallel rows of these slots. It is to be understood, however, that the sheet may be wide enough to contain more than two slots end to end and long enough to receive more than two pairs of spaced slots lengthwise thereof. The slots 58 are arranged at opposite sides of a given pair of the slots 56 and at opposite ends thereof. are substantially perpendicular to the slots 56 and are situated within an area which is less,

than one-half the distance between the spaced parallel slots 56. To the sheet 54 as thus prepared there are adhesively applied to the top and bottom surfaces thereof thin sheets of facing material 60 which is usually of a decorative kind covering the entire surfaces so as to cover the slots 56 and 58, as shown in Fig. 3. The composite starting blank SB consisting of the slotted sheet 54 faced on opposite surfaces with the facing material 60 will have the appearance illustrated in Fig. 3 atthe right-hand end thereof, that is where there are slots in the sheet material 54 covered by the facing material there will be corresponding convex depressions visible in the facing material. This provides a visible aid to positioning the starting blank in machines for cutting the finish blanks therefrom.

The composite starting blank SB is then cut to provide a plurality of blanks FB hereinafter referred to as finish blanks. Each finish blank is separated from the starting blank by cuts through the composite sheet along lines 62 parallel to and spaced from the opposite sides of a As illustrated, the slots 58 easel.

mesa-tits slot :56 andizlines intersecting the ends "of :the

"s'lotsand'thesends.ofthe linesifiZ so that a 'substantiallyrectangular body is severed from the composite sheet wherein 'thereare two substantially equal area sections joined solely by .the

'theline 52$s0 that the door or flap 461s released fromrthe backboard section along three lines.;but hinged thereto along the fourth sidesolelyby thetfacingmaterial which extends across the slot 58. .In addition to the aforesaid 'cuts'the brace 32 is formed in the backboard .;by*cutting through the :composite .sheet along the lines 34 and36, the T'-shaped slot .38 is formed in the bracefandxthe aperture 3401s formed inthe easel section.

.Fori'making the aforesaid cuts'to separatethe finish blanks from the composite starting blank andito form the door'and'locking members, a conventional power :press of the reciprocating or roller typeprovided'with suitably shapedcutting and'punching means may be employed. It is to be understood, moreover, that the composite starting blankimay be supplied in varying sizes in accordance with the number of finish blanks to be cutttherefrom in one operation'and the capacityof the press or in a continuous length sothat it .may :be fed 'continuouslyztoa rotarytype of cutting machine.

.The rfinishblanks when separated from the starting blank comprise, as heretofore pointed out, albackboard section. and an easel .section M joined by ahinge formed solely of the facingrmaterials 2B and 28, there being a substantial space betweenthe edges of the backboard and .In the "backboard there is a door .5 hinged at 48, the hinge in this case also being constituted solely by the facing materials 25 and 28 and there being a substantial space betweenlthe hinged edge of the demand the material of the backboard to which it is joined.

"The startingblank may conveniently beprepared by feeding the sheet material and the face material continuously into a machine including cutting means and adhesive applying means suitablyarranged to cut the slots in the sheet materialand to apply the facing material to theopposite :surfaces thereof ina substantially continuous mannerand, since the separation of the finish blanks from the starting blanks may be done on any conventional power-operated press, a maximum production of finish blanks is possible with a minimum of "hand operations.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that this invention includes all modificationsand equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

(I claim: I v

'1. A method of .making a composite blank having hinged portions comprising facing at least one surface of .a sheet of material of larger overall area than the blank to be made, said sheet having a prearranged slot formedtherein, with the facing material covering the slot, and cutting through theicombined sheet and facing material along'lines to separate the'blank fromthe sheet in such 'a manner that the slot runs parallel to one edge of theseparated blank and is intersectedby another ofits-edges.

A :method of making a composite blank having .hinged portions comprising facing the opposite surfaces of a sheet of-imaterial of larger overall .area than the blank to be .macle, said sheet having a prearranged slot formed therein, with the facing material covering the slot, and cutting through the combined sheet'and facing material along a line parallel to the sl-ot and along another line intersecting the slot and :the first line to separate a blank of the desired shape from the sheet.

.3..JA method .of making a composite blank having Lhinged'portions comprising facing the cppositessurfaces ofa sheet of material of larger overall area than the blank to. be made, saidrshe'et having a prearranged .slot formed therein, with the facing material covering theslot, and cutting through the composite sheet along spaced parallel lines two of which are parallel to the slotand another two of which intersect the slot to separate from the composite sheet a substantially rectangular blank.

A A method of making a composite blank havin .Zhinged portions of substantially equal area comprising adhesively applying a thin facing material to the opposite surfaces ofa sheet of .relativelystifi material having an overall area larger than "the blank to be made, said sheet, having a prearranged slot formed therein with the facing material covering the slot, and cutting through the composite sheet along lines spaced substantially equally from the opposite sides of the slot and along spaced lines intersecting the ends of the slot and the aforesaid spaced lines to 'separatefrom the sheet a substantially rectangular compositeblank foldable along a zone free of the relatively stiff sheet material.

5. A .method of making a composite blank having hinged portions comprising interposing a relatively stiff sheet of material having a prearranged slot therein between sheets of thin facing material with adhesive between the 'respective .gheets, to form a, composite sheetin whichthefacing sheets cover the slots said composite sheet having a larger overall area than the blank to be made, andcutting through the composite sheet along a line parallel to the slot and along a line intersecting the slot and first line at at least two points to separate from the composite sheet a composite blank of a given configuration which has within its boundaries said slot.

6. A method of making a composite blank having hinged portions comprising forming a slot ataprearranged position in a sheet of relatively stiff material, 'adhesively applying thin facing material "to the opposite surfaces of the sheetto cover the slot, and cutting through the composite sheet along lines parallel to and intersecting the slot'to separate therefrom a composite blank of a given configuration, portions of which are hinged together solely by the facing material.

7. A method of makin a composite blank having hinged portions comprising facing the opposite surfaces of a sheet of relatively stiff material having prearranged slots therein, with the facing material covering the slots said sheet having an overall area larger than the blanks to be cut therefrom, cutting the composite sheet along lines parallel to and intersecting one of the slots to separate a blank of the desired configuration fromthe composite sheet, portions of which are hinged solely by the'facing material,

7 and along lines parallel to and intersecting the other slot hingedly to release a section from one of the hinged portions.

8. A method of making a composite blank having hinged portions comprising facing the opposite surfaces of a sheet of relatively stiff material having non-intersecting slot therein, with the facing material covering the slots said sheets having an overall area larger than the blank to be made, cuttin the composite sheet along spaced lines at opposite sides of one of the slots and along other spaced lines intersecting the ends of the slot and the first lines to separate a substantially rectangular blank from the composite sheet and also along another line, portions of which hingedly to release a section from one of the hinged portions. 7

9. A method of making blanks having hinged portions comprising facing the opposite surfaces of a. sheet of relatively stiff material, having prearranged slots formed therein, with the facing material covering the slots, said composite sheet having an overall area larger than the blanks to be made therefrom and cutting a plurality of blanks from the composite sheet by severing the sheet along lines parallel to each slot and along lines intersectin the opposite ends of each slot and the aforesaid lines.

10. A method of making blanks having hinged portion comprising facing the opposite surfaces of a sheet of relatively stiff material having prearranged slots formed therein with the facing material covering the slots, said sheet having an overall area larger than the blanks to be made I and cutting a plurality of substantially rectangular blanks from the composite sheet at such positions that each of said slots will run between and intersect two sides of each blank and parallel to a third side thereof.

11. A method of making blanks having hinged portions comprisin facing the opposite surfaces of a sheet of relatively stiff material having prearranged slots formed therein, with the facing material covering the slots, separating a plurality of substantially rectangular blanks from the composite sheet by cutting through the sheet along pairs of spaced lines intersecting each other one pair also intersecting the ends of one of the slots to form two panels hinged together solely by the facing material and cutting through one of the panels along a line which intersects the other slot at two points to form a flap within said panel hinged thereto solely by the facing material.

12. A method of making a blank including a backboard and easel hinged together, comprising facing the opposite surfaces of a sheet of relatively stiif material having a prearranged slot therein, with the facing material covering the slot, cutting through the composite sheet along lines to separate a blank from the composite sheet wherein the slot runs transversely of the blank dividing it into two panels hinged solely by the facing material, cuttin through the composite sheet in one panel to form an aperture and in the other panel to form a brace free along three sides but joined thereto along the fourth side.

13. A method of making a blank including a backboard and an easel hinged together, comprising facing the opposite surfaces of a sheet of relatively stiff material having a prearranged slot therein, with the facing material covering the slot, cutting through the composite sheet along intersect the other slot,

lines parallel to the slot and along lines intersecting the slot and the first lines to separate a blank from the composite sheet wherein there are two panels hinged solely by the facing material, one panel constituting the backboard and the other the easel, cutting through the easel along lines to form an aperture therein, one side of which has a tab projecting thereinto, cutting through the backboard to form a brace free along three sides but joined thereto along the fourth side and cutting a slot in the brace for locking engagement with the tab.

14. A method of making a blank including a backboard and an easel hinged together comprising facing the opposite surfaces of a sheet of relatively stiff material having prearranged slots therein with the facing material covering the slots, cutting through the composite sheet'in one operation, along lines parallel to the slot and intersecting the slot and the first lines to separate from the composite sheet a substantially rectangular blank having two panels joined solely by the facing material one of which constitutes the backboard and the other the easel, cutting along lines within the easel to remove a piece therefrom leaving a tab projecting into the space from which the piece was removed, cutting along lines within the blackboard to form a brace separated therefrom along three sides but joined thereto along the fourth and along other lines to remove a T-shaped piece from the brace and cutting along a line intersecting another slot at two points to release a section Within the backboard which is hinged thereto solely by the facing material.

15, The method of making blanks for easels comprising providing a middle layer of relatively stifi sheet material with spaced parallel slots therein, adhesively applying thin, flexible face sheets to the opposite faces of the middle sheet so as tocover the slots, and cutting finish blanks from the composite sheet, corresponding in number to the number of slots in the middle sheet; each of which has portions hinged solely by the thin face sheets, by making cuts through the composite sheet along lines parallel to mg each slot.

16. The method of making blanks for easels comprising providing a middle layer of relatively stiff sheet material with parallel spaced rows of slots, the slots in each row being arranged in spaced relation end to end, adhesively joining thin, flexible face sheets to the opposite faces of the middle layer to cover the slots, and then making intersecting cuts through the composite material such that one of the slots is included within each set of intersecting cuts and that at least one of the cuts intersects the opposite ends of said slot.

17. The method of making blanks for easels comprising providing a middle layer of relatively stiff sheet material with parallel spaced rows of slots running transversely of the sheet and other spaced slots running longitudinally of the sheet; a pair of said longitudinally running slotslying at opposite sides of a pair of transversely running slots and at opposite ends thereof, adhesively ap plying thin, flexible face sheets to the opposite surfaces of the sheet to cover the slots, and then making intersecting cuts through the composite material which separate a blank from the sheet material, which includes one longitudinal slot and and intersectthe area which is less than half the distance between two of the spaced transverse slots, adhesively applying a thin, flexible facing material to the opposite surfaces of the sheet covering the slots, and then making intersecting cuts through the composite material which define enclosed areas thereof, each of which includes one longitudinal slot and one transverse slot and one of the cuts intersecting the ends of the transverse slot.

19. The method of making blanks for easels comprising providing a middle layer of relatively stiif sheet material having parallel spaced rows of slots running transversely thereof and other spaced slots running longitudinally thereof, a 1.

the sheet covering the slots, and then making intersecting cuts through the composite material which enclose a substantially rectangular area including one transverse and one longitudinal slot, the cuts along two sides of the rectangular area intersecting the ends of the transverse slot.

GORDON E. NICHOLS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 732,828 Christopher July 7, 1903 1,839,889 Palais Jan. 5, 1932 1,846,635 Finley Feb. 23, 1932 1,936,340 Steudel Nov. 21, 1933 2,110,429 Sunderhauf Mar. 8, 1938 2,284,724 Church June 2, 1942 2,298,897 Myers Oct. 13, 1942 2,405,409 Cross Aug. 6, 1946 2,417,175 Raffles Mar. 11, 1947 2,454,521 Nichols Nov. 23, 1948 2,483,236 Rona Sept. 27, 1949 2,491,281 Rowe Dec. 13, 1949 2,496,884 Miles Feb. '7, 1950 

